Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-07-29

good, too. was 10 years old when I
sudden. was walking out by the river,
near Fort Kearney, one night about 10
o'clock. My companions had got on ahead
somehow, and 1 was quite alone, when
looking up toward the bluff bordering
the river, I saw, Illuminated by the
moon, the head and shoulders of a living
Indian, watching me with evident interest.
Now, I had heard many stories of the do
ings of the red men, and had also been in
culcated with thorough distrust of their
ways; so, quickly coming to conclusion
as to what should do, brought my gun
to my shoulder, and, aiming at the head,
fred. The report sounded louder than
usual in the silence of the night, far it was
past 10 o'clock, and was followed by war
whoop, such as could only be built up by
| feet of dead Indian came down splash into
the river.
Soon after this I went to business. l
! took to the plains, and in the employ of
Messrs. Russell & Simpson soon learned
the ms and outs of the wild life led with
horses and cattle driving teams, riding ex-
press ponies and getting to know the
land. Among other things I somehow
found out how to hunt butfaloes, a sport
second to none, if you know how. l shall
never forget the faces of five officers I met
on the prairies once, now many years ago.
They were after herd of buffaloes. SO
was |. We exchanged views. I gave them
my ideas; they gave me their sympathy.
you surely don't expect to catch buifaloes
with that gothic steed," said they.
II am going to try," l said.
"You'll never do it, man alive" said the
Captain. at wants fast horse to hunt a
buffalo,"
"Does it?" responded.
eyes; but you can come with us if you
like"
And did like. There were eleven buff
faloes in the herd, and. while the officers
rode straight at them, headed the leaders
and got up to them with ease. The horse
which my companion had been chatting
was the famous Brigham, who knew as
much about the sport as l did; he speedily
did his part of the business. A few Jumps
brought us up to the herd Raising Gu
cretia Borgia," my trusty weapon, aimed
at the first animal, fired, and brought him
down, Brigham, like the ideal animal
that he was, carrying me rapidly up to the
next brute, not ten feet away; and, when
had dropped him. bounded on to the next.
and so on, until I had slain the whole
eleven animals, and then my horse stopped.
| dismounted 10 regard my work with a
feeling of satisfaction. Those officers rode
up shortly, and shall never forget their
expressions as they surveyed the work of
five minutes lying around.
My horse Brigham was an exceptionally
intelligent brute. He took the keenest de-
light in sport, and invariably took pains TO
aid me in getting game. All he expected
| of me was to do the shooting; the rest was
his work. He would always stop if the
| buffalo cid no. fall at the first shot, 50 as
| to give me second chance; but il did not
bring him down then, he would 60 on dix.
| gusted.
1t was in 1867 that the Kansas Pacific
track was III the buffalo country, and the
company was employing over twelve hun
DIRE men in the making of the road, The
Indians We're very troublesome, and it was
not always easy to get sufficient supplies
OF fresh meat for the men. It was auout
this time that Messrs. Goddard. the con-
tractors to the constructors, made me n
handsome offer, provided l would UNDER
take to hunt for them. They required
twelve butfaoes per diem. The work WAS
somewhat dangerous, owing to the Indians.
but the terms were handsome-tve hundrad
per month. took the otter and in less than
eighteen months, during which time nv
engagement lasted, killed 4, $50 butf,loes
single. handed, and had man scrimmaYes
with the Indians. and hair breadth ESCAPES.
It was during this period of my career at
l had my celebrated buffalo killing mate,
with Billy Comstock, the noted scort tbon
at Fort Wallace. The terms were settled
as follows: We werA to hunt one day of
eight hours, from eight a. m. to four y. m.
IN: Inc stakes s:,, We're $500 side. and the man
o %nu hl.i ~ tne most butfaoes was to be de-
twenty miles east from Sheridan. and many
"a thousand people came from all parts to see
me sport. We Were fortunate in fndjno
ANN and had plenty of sport. We made
1hree runs each, and l killed six,y-nine
ouhaloes, my rival being content with forivo
slS. Not bad days work-a day which is
an historical one for me, inasmuch as since
men ~; have invariably been referred to IN
R al paris OF the civilized world as Buffalo
Heart Troubles.